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COLLEGE OF ARTS

ACP 2002
Professional Writing for Sport
Semester 2 2014

Unit Co-ordinator/Lecturer
Ian Syson

Available for consultation:
Footscray Park

We acknowledge the Elders, families and forebears of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung tribes of the Kulin Nation who were the custodians of University land for many centuries. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet was the place of age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal and that the Kulin Nation people's living culture had and has a unique role in the life of this region.

UNIT CALENDAR

Week

Topic Lecturer

1

Professional Writing and Sport

 Ian Syson

2

 Sportswriting in the digital age John Weldon
3

Writing in the sports organisation

Ian Syson

4

 Working in the AFL media Kasey Symons
5

Sports historiography

Ian Syson

6

 writing module 1: the basics of sports journalism John Weldon

7

 writing module 2: finding the narrative Michael Hyde

8

 writing module 3: literature and sport Paul Mavroudis

9

writing module 4: the sportwriting marketplace

 Tony Wilson

10

 From local blogger to Franchise media officer Julius Ross

 

 MID SEMESTER BREAK  

11

global sports; local reports

Ed Wyatt
12

the final whistle, buzzer, siren, hooter, claxon, bell

Ian Syson

INTRODUCTION

This unit divides the connection between sport and professional writing into two main aspects.

First, writing is considered as a practice intended to bring reward to the writer, whether pecuniary or of another kind. From journalism through academic and creative writing to fan-based material, students are encouraged to read and write broadly across these areas. The assessment is geared towards both critical reading and creative practice. The unit includes an examination of the writing styles of journalists and authors including guest speakers who discuss their craft. The emphasis of the unit is divided between writing exercises, which are workshopped in class and then redrafted and more scholarly or critical approaches to sportswriting.

Second, writing is considered as a functional component of sports performance, management and administration, as in official and media communication. Guest speakers involved in this work will deliver stories from their experience within sports organisations, looking closely at the role of social media in their professional and non-professional lives.

 

Format:

The unit is designed so that each student attends one 60-minute lecture and one 90-minute tutorial per week for twelve weeks. The lectures aim broadly to cover themes and debates while the tutorials are sessions for closer discussion and argument about specific issues and associated texts. The tutorial will be used for writing workshops during the writing module period (weeks 6-9 highlighted in blue above). In the weekly outline below compulsory reading texts are nominated.

Each tutorial will be initiated by one or more student presentations.

Because the questions for assessment range between general issues and specific topics, it will be necessary for students wishing to perform well to attend all lectures and tutorials.

Timetable

Timetable

Lecture Mon 11:00 12:00 D661
Tutorial Mon 12:00 14:00 D204

Staff:

The unit is co-ordinated by Ian Syson. Members of staff involved include John Weldon and Michael Hyde. Guest lecturer Paul Mavroudis is a postgraduate student at Victoria University.

Guest speakers:

Julius Ross is a one-time sports blogger (in cahoots with Callum Paske) at The Back Post in Hobart. He transitioned from this role into the media officer at Melbourne City Football Club. Hopefully he will bring some free tickets.

Kasey Symons is a past student at Victoria University who studied professional writing and graduated with 1st class honours for her thesis looking at the intricacies and dilemmas of working for the AFL. She presently works for the Western Bulldogs.

Tony Wilson is an all-round sports lover, broadcaster, raconteur and writer. His novel Players, like most searing critiques of certain figures within Melbourne sport media, has disappeared from view. This unit gives you a chance to meet him and read his book.

Ed Wyatt appears on a number of sports media. He is knowledgeable across sports but brings an intimate knowledge of American sport to his Australian audiences.

Unit blog http://pwands.blogspot.com.au/

Class Materials:

Text Books

You are required to read all of the texts below.

  • Thomas Fensch The Sportswriting Handbook eBook via libarary
  • Tony Wilson Players
  • Michael Hyde Tyger Tyger

On top of these you are required to read all of the material hotlinked under 'Reading' in the weekly sections.

Some useful texts for further reading and research

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit, students are expected to be able to:

  1. Characterise a range of sports writing: journalism (features and hard news), biographies and sports books in general; and identify writing styles of journalists and authors;
  2. Produce a range of writing exercises workshopped in class and then redrafted independently;
  3. Develop writing and editing skills.
  4. Understand the role of social media in both professional and non-professional sportswriting writing.
  5. Obtain a rudimentary knowledge of issues pertaining to writing in and for the sports organisation.

UNIT OUTLINE

Week 1 (21 July)

Lecture Professional Writing and Sport

Tutorial: Introduction

  • Introductions and explanation of assessment, key terms and readings.
  • Allocating presentations

Reading

Task

  • Pick a club from this list: Brighton Bocce, Croydon Croquet, Carlton Curling or Thomastown Trugo Clubs. This is your club for the semester. Learn about your sport and defend and promote it at all costs.

Week 2 (28 July)

Lecture Sportswriting in the digital age

Tutorial Print media; a modern rump or staple of sportswriting?

Reading

Task (1 mark)

Week 3 (4 August)

Lecture Writing in the sports organisation

Tutorial: The sportswriting job market

Reading

Task (2 marks)

A job has been advertised by the Brighton Bocce, Croydon Croquet, Carlton Curling or Thomastown Trugo Clubs (choose your sport) for a part-time social media officer. Compile an application.

Address the criteria implicit in this job description (this is a real-world job advertisement that has been modified for our hypothetical situation).

Week 4 (11 August)

Lecture Working in AFL media

Tutorial Sports media: watchdog or shepherd?

Reading

Come to class prepapred to speak about the diversity (or not) of perspectives within the pieces.

Task (2 marks)

One of your organisation's members has been engaging in less than savoury activities in public. Construct a media release for your organisation that deals with the matter.

Remember: you are managing a crisis.

Week 5 (18 August)

Lecture Sports Historiography

Tutorial History is Past

Reading

Further reading

Task (1 mark)

Using Trove, research an unacknowledged or unexplored aspect of the Australian history of your sport (i.e., Bocce, Croquet, Culrling or Trugo).

Week 6 (25 August)

Lecture The basics of sports journalism

Tutorial Writing the match review: The Inverted Pyramid and beyond

Reading

A selection of Match Reports

Task (substantial story 1)

  • Match report. Report on a live sporting event of a kind not usually covered by the mainstream media. Perhaps go to a Trugo, Bocce or Croquet club (or an event held by some other less generally esteemed sport) and report on their activities.

Week 7 (1 September)

Lecture Finding the narrative

Tutorial Writing Workshop 2: Finding the Narrative.

Reading

  • Thomas Fensch The Sportswriting Handbook eBook via libarary Chapters 2, 4 and 6
  • Tony Wilson, Players
  • Michael Hyde, Tyger Tyger

Web material (compulsory)

Task (substantial story 2)

  • Find your narrative.

Week 8 (8September)

Lecture Literature and Sport

Tutorial Writing Workshop 3: Filling the gap between sport and literature

Reading

Useful web material

Task (substantial story 3)

  • Write a creative piece in which expression, thought and reflection are as important as the sport content. You might write a poem or a few short paras.

Week 9 (15 September)

Lecture The Sportswriting marketplace

Tutorial Writing Workshop 4: Leading from the Front

Reading

Task (substantial story 4)

  • Paying particular attention to your lead, write a piece on your blog that creates an impact and sets you apart in the marketplace. Be outrageous but not too outrageous.

Week 10 (22 September)

Lecture From local blogger to Franchise media officer

Tutorial Social Media v the Sports Organisation. Are they in inevitable conflict?

Reading

A selction of sports blogs

AFL

Cricket

Netball

Rugby League

Soccer

Task

  • Examine one blog from each category (or find 5 others) and come to class prepared to talk about their qualities. You should also articulate where you think the blog positions itself in relation to the mainstream sports media and sports organisation.

MID SEMESTER BREAK WEEK BEGINNING 29 September

Week 11 (6 October)

Lecture Global sports; local reports

Tutorial Reporting on overseas sport in Australia

Reading

Articles by Ed Wyatt

Further reading

Task (4 marks)

  • Report briefly (say 100 words) on a current overseas sporting event (bonus marks for more obscure sports)

Week 12 (13 October)

Lecture The final whistle, buzzer, sire, hooter, claxon, bell

Tutorial

Reading

*

Further reading and web material

*

 

ASSESSMENT

All assessment must be submitted and/or performed. Failure to perform/submit any piece will mean failure of the unit. The assessment for this unit is as follows:

 

1. Writing portflio blog. 50%

Students are required to set up a blog (details to come) in which they respond to the tasks set at the bottom of each week's program. Each weekly entry should reflect on the task set in Monday's classes and needs to be completed before the following Monday. The marks allocated for these tasks vary according to difficulty.

Weeks 6-9 are devoted to your own writing and the products of this module will be worth 40 per cent of the unit's assessment and should total 1500-1700 words. You need to complete three of the four pieces. It is up to you how to distribute the value of each piece -- though none of the three pieces can be worth fewer than 10 marks. You need to tell me the values when you submit.

  • The substantial pieces should be on the blog by Friday of week 11.
  • All material on the blog needs to be submitted via VU Collaborate.

 

2. Long essay (1500 words) 40%

Discuss one of the following polemical statements. You might agree with the statement, reject it or find some middle ground. Do not address a statement that relates directly to your class presentation.

  1. Sports history is not truly sports writing. It has sport as a theme but is not centrally about sport.
  2. The sports media in Melbourne suffers from extreme myopia.
  3. Literature and sport cannot meet. Their values set them apart across an unbridgeable gap.
  4. The print media is finished as a vital place for sports writing.
  5. The internet has destroyed the qualities and values of sports writing.
  6. The contemporary sports organisation pays only lip service to writing.

Please submit the essay via VUCollaborate by 17 October.

 

3. Formal Presentation 10%

The presentation is based on the week's topics and readings. You will need to read all the material and make connections between the various texts set down for each week, paying attention to the key words and tutorial topics listed therein. You will be expected to speak to your papers for 10-15 minutes and then raise questions and problems to be thrown open in the group. .

You will write a short informal account acknowledging the discussion in class and submit it via VU Collaborate and put it up on your blog no later than one week after delivery. This account should be 200-300 words. The presentation will be given a grade out of 10.

 

Handing in assignments

Hard copy assignments are to be submitted in the tutor's pigeon hole.

Penalties for late assignments

Late assignments (without an extension) will be graded at a reduction of 25 per cent per week late.

Special consideration

If you feel that illness or personal difficulties have impaired your performance you may ask for Special Consideration which can facilitate late submission, and alternative arrangements for assignments. This can cover both emotional and physical difficulties. You need to contact a student counsellor to arrange this.

Guidelines for Assessment Criteria

STUDENTS' RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

A NOTE ABOUT PLAGIARISM FOR ALL ARTS STUDENTS